Forced air circulator for furnaces



March 6, 1945. JONES 2,370,795 FORCED AIR CI'RCULATOR FOR FURNACES Filed Aug. 2, 1940 s She ets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. DO/V F. JONES BY FM ATTORNEY.

March 6, 1945. I JONES I 2,370,795

FORCED AIR CIRCULATOR FOR FURNACES Filed Aug. 2, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. DON JONES BY awe? away.

' ATTORNEY.

-March 6, 1945. D. F, JONES FORCED AIR CIRCULATDR FOR FURNACES Filed Aug. '2, 1940 '3 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR. UOA/ F. JON/5 5 0 57 60 f A v v ATTORNEY.

reenactment.-

attests a non sorts Don E. Jones, hazing. Mich assignor to Motor Wheel Corporation, Musing. Mich, a .corporation of Michigan.

Application Augu t 2, rest, serial No. 349,624

clai 'a. (cussm) 'neath the furnace, the latter resting thereon.

This invention relates to furnaces and more particularly to forced air circulators therefor.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a unitary forced air circulator for a furnace which is complete in itself and which may be operatively associated with the furnace simply by placing the latter thereon.

Another object is to provide a unitary air circulator housing that is adapted to act as a base for a standard furnace.

Still another object of the invention is to pro--' vide a unitary air circulator the housing of which is provided with readily removable side panels.

A further object is to provide a housing for Essentiallythe unit comprises a housing ii, a motor l8 supported therein and a' fan is con-T nectedto the motor.

The air circulator'housing ii is shown best: in Figures 3, 4 and 5. It consists of four corner I 'posts 20, a top wall 2i, and four side panels 22.

an air circulator that is simply and economically fabricated and assembled, yet is sturdy enough to support a furnace thereon; I 7

These objects will more fully appear in the following specification when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a fragmentary trout elevational view of a furnace assemblyembodying the in vention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary ores-sectional view taken on substantially the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the air circulator;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on substantially the line M of Figure 3:

Figure 5 'is an exploded pictorial view of a corner of the air circuiator housing;

. presently.

The corner posts are all identical. Each corner post is fashioned from sheet metal. Each post comprises a pair of upright webs 2.3 at right angles to each other. At the lower end of each web is an inturned flange 2d. The upper ends of the webs 23 are reversely bent inwardly and downwardly at 25 and terminate in inwardly projecting flanges 28. The portions 25 are spaced from the outer parts of the webs 23. The upright lateral edges of the webs 23 are offset inwardly at 21 a distance equal to the thickness of the panels 22. Bolt holes 28 are formed in the lower ends .of the ofiset edges 21. A gusset 38 is rigidly attached to each corner post in the angle between the webs 23. The gussets have holes 38 therein for a purpose to be described The top wall 2| consists of a rectangular sheet of metal having a large central opening it therein. About the periphery of the opening and extending downwardly therefrom is a baiile rin 8%. About the periphery of the top wall 25 is an upstanding flange 3i.

Each side panel 22 is a metal sheet having an intumed flange 32 at its lower edge and adownwardly bent flange 33 at its upper edge. Adjacent each lower corner is a bolt hole 88. j

The housing is assembled by hooking the flange 3! of the top wall beneath the reversely bent portions 25 of each corner post so that the flange 3i enters the space between the portions 28 and the webs 23. Preferably the latter are then 'crimped tightly against the flange 3i. The inturned flanges 33 'of the side panels 22 are then hooked over the flange 3| between the adaptedto rest directly on the floor ota bu'llding. It comprises an outer casing ii. recto-nail la: in plan, and an inner cylindrical easing ll.

The lower end-of the inner casing is closed by a..-

bottom wall I! which supports an-oilybm'ner ll the vaporizing. pottyp'e. Air 'for Y oftuel'within the burner is suppliedthropghja- -.duct l l which is connected at its'inncr and outer.

ends-respectively to the outer casing II. we! is supplied to the burner from a source oi supply (not shownl'througha' rousing at pipe il-and fuel control apparahis-lla 'lhe circulator 'unit is plece beu corner-posts and bolts 28a passed through the holes and '34 which are superimposed. It will be evident that when so connected the ends of .thepanelsil lieagai I the oilset lateral edges ,llof the corner surfaces of the .we

anis, d-ilush with the outer Four channel shaped supporting' arms 31 are bolted. at their inner ends to the of the motor I. and radiate outwardly therefrom. "nieouterepdsofthe'armsll areresillenflymounted.

85. The mounting comprises a- 8| the-hole ll in-the gusset on-thc letter.- it who: I! rests on top or the spring and a, bolt 40 passes downwardly within .the spring through the hole a in the gusset 35 and the arm 31. A washer II and nuts 42 are attached to the lower end of the bolt. The arm 31 rests on the washer and is thus resiliently hung from the gusset 35.

The fan I9 is secured to the shaft 43 on the hole in the hour, as shown in Figure 2. In that case air is'pulled up from beneath the floor by the fan and circulated through the space between the inner and outer casings I and *II, as indi cated by the arrows. In'some cases, however, it is not feasible to cut a hole in the floor. When that is the case, one or more side panels 22 may be removed from the air circulator housing. To remove them it is necessary only to remove the bolts 28a at the lower corners of the panels and then lift the hook shaped. upper edge of the same formed by flange 33 oil of the flange 3| of the top wall 2|. Access to the motor to oil or repair it may be obtained by removing one of the panels 22.

Figures 6 and 7 illustrate a modified form. of

the invention. The furnace I0 is identical with that previously described. The air clrculator unit comprises a housing 5| somewhat similar to that previously described, a motor 52, a centrifugal blower assembly 53, and filters 59.

responding openings in the floor. The furnace II is then set up on the unit between the up from which it is discharged into the space between the inner and outer casings of the furnace. See the arrows in Figures 6 and 7.

If it is inadvisable or impossible to cut holes in the floor, two opposite side panels adjacent the filters may be removed. In that case, air is drawn from the vicinity of the floor, but above the same, through the filters and into the blower casing.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention provides a simple and economical forced aircirculator that can be built and sold as a unit for attachment to existing furnaces or may be used with new furnace installations. In either case it is a simple matter to connect it to the furnace. The circulator housing is fabricated in such a way that the sides may be entirely enclosed (where air can come through the floor) or one or more side panels may be removed without removing any support from the furnace. The circulator unit adds only a little height tothe furnace assembly, and does not take up any more floor space than the furnace itself.

The s'copeof the invention is indicated in the appended claims.

The housing 5| comprises four upright corner posts 62 of angular cross-section. A top wall- 63 having an upstanding peripheral flange 54 is attached to the upper ends ofthe corner posts by reversely bending the metal of the latter overon the flange 54' as indicated at 55. The top wall has an opening 56 therein for the passage of air.

The lower ends of the comer posts seat in and.

are secured'to the corners of a bottom wall 51 which is provided with an upstanding peripheral flange 58. The bottom wall has two elongated rectangular openings 6Q adjacent the opposite sides thereof. A raised portion 6| is provided in the'centerof, the bottom wall. A plurality of I claim: I a

l. A unitary air circulatorand base for a furnace comprising a plurality of legs each having a pair of upright webs at right angles to each other, the upper ends of each web being reversely bent downwardly and inwardly and terminating in horizontally inwardly extending flanges, a top wall having an upstanding peripheral flange positioned between said webs and said inwardly and downwardly extending portions, said top wall having an opening therein for the passage -of air therethrough, a fan communicating with said opening, and a motor for driving said fan,

said motor being mounted within and secured to said base.

upstanding flange on said top wall and depend therefrom to fill the space between said legs.

side panels 58 are removably secured to the corsembly 53 which contains a conventional blower.

A motor 52 is. also mounted on the bottom wall. The latter drives the blower through a belt .00 and pulleys and 86 on the motor-andblower 3. A unitary fan housing and base for'a furnace comprising a. plurality of legs each having a pair of webs at right angles to each other, the

upper-ends of each web being reversely bent inwardly and downwardly and terminating in horirespectively. The upper end 'of the blower casing is secured to the top wall N and oommuni cates with the opening 5| therein.-

into each set of channels as indicated in'mgure 7. The filters 69 may be removed by first removing the front panel 59 and sliding the filters out of the channels, p g The apparatus lust described-maybe installed bysettlng the air circulatorjunit on the floor with the openings. in the bottom wall over corzontal flanges, and a top wall having an upstanding peripheral flange positioned between said webs and said inwardly and downwardly ex tending portions, said top wall having an opening therein for-the passage of air therethrough.

4. A unitary fan housing and base for a furnace including a plurality of spaced apart upstanding legs, each of said legs comprising a pair or upright webs arranged at an angle to each other, a horizontal flange extending inwardlyfrom each web below its upper end, said flanges forming seats for the corners of a furnace, and a top wall secured to said legs adjacent their. upper ends, said top wall having an opening therein for the passage of air therethroughstanding legs, each of said legs comprising a pair of uprightwebs arranged at an angle to each other, a horizontal flange extending inwardly from each web below its upper end, said flanges vided with fianges adjacent their upper endshooked over the peripheral flange on the top wall.

7. A unitary air circulator and base for a furnace comprising a plurality of spaced apart legs having upstanding portions at their upper ends and laterally inwardly projecting portions in sp ced relation to their upper ends adapted to e gage the sides and lower end respectively of a furnace whereby tosupport the latter and prevent lateral movement thereot, a top wall rigidly connected to said legs to space the latter apart,

;said top wall having an opening therein, and

a rotary fan connected to said base beneath said top wall adjacent said opening for circulating air through said opening.

8. An air circulator as defined in claim 7 wherein said top wall is provided with an upstanding fiange at its perimeter secured to said legs.

9. An air circulator as ldefined in claim 7 whereinside panels are detachablyl' connected to said legs to fill the spaces therebetween.

'10. A unitary air circulatorand base for a furnace comprising a pluralityv of spaced apart legs having upstanding portions at theireupper ends and laterally inwardly projecting portions in spaced relation to their upper ends adapted to engage the sides and lower end respectively of a furnace whereby to support the latter and pre- .vent lateral movement thereof, and a top wall rigidly connected to. said legs to space the latter apart, said top wall having an opening therein for circulation of air therethrough.

DON F. JONES. 

